Bail Permittee
Licensing Information
Applicable Forms:
- Application for Bail License, form LIC 431-1.
- Bond of Bail Permittee, form LIC 437-10.
- Action Notice Statement of Employing Bail Agent or Permittee, form LIC 438.
Candidate Information Bulletin
Authorizing Act: Section 1802.5 of the California Insurance Code reads, in part: A bail permittee is a person permitted to solicit, negotiate, issue and deliver bail bonds.
Qualifications:
- Minimum Age: 18 years.
- Residency: California residency is required.
- Prelicensing Experience/Education: Require a minimum of 20 hours of approved prelicensing classroom study in subjects pertinent to the duties and responsibilities of a bail licensee, including, but not limited to, all laws and regulations related thereto, rights of the accused, and ethics.
- Continuing Education: Require a minimum of 12 hours of approved continuing education classroom study prior to the renewal of his or her license. A current list of education courses approved for credit can be found here.
- Entity: Individual
Filing Requirements:
- Application: Application for Bail License, form LIC 431-1.
- Bond: A Bond of Bail Permittee, form LIC 437-10, in the penal sum of $5,000 executed by a California admitted surety, and signed by the principal.
- Action Notice Statement Of Employing Bail Agent Or Permittee: Form LIC 438, from the employing bail agent or permittee.
- Fingerprint Impressions: Required for all unlicensed bail applicants.
Fees:
- First Time Applicants - two year term: $1,248. This fee does not include the examination fee.
- Examination: $62. for the first examination and is paid at the time the license examination is scheduled. Please do not include the examination fee when you are submitting your bail application to CDI. The examination fee is to be paid when the examination is scheduled using PSI's examination services. If the applicant needs to reschedule the examination, there is a reexamination fee of $62 (that is also due at the time the examination is rescheduled through PSI.
- Fingerprint: Review Fingerprint Processing link for fees.
- Renewal - two year term: $788.
Examination: Applicants must pass the written examination prepared and administered by the Department. Examination is based on information and materials covered during the 20 hour prelicensing course.
Additional Information:
Federal law (Title 18 United States Code Section 1033) prohibits anyone who has been convicted of a felony involving dishonesty or a breach of trust from conducting the business of insurance unless they have obtained the written consent of the Insurance Commissioner. It is a violation of this statute to conduct business of insurance without the Commissioners written consent. If you have been convicted of a felony involving dishonesty or a breach of trust then you must attach a copy of this consent. If you have not obtained this written consent you must do so by filing a 1033 Short Form Application for Written Consent prior to filing your application.
Licenses may be issued to corporations to act as bail agents. Each officer, director, stockholder, and employee must hold an individual bail agent license.
Bail licenses are issued for a two year term.
A Bail Identification card will be issued for all the individual licensees.
An individual Bail agent's and a permittee's license may be applied for at the same time, on the same application. Only a permittee's bond is required.
If a currently licensed bail permittee is now applying for an agent's license, the permittee's bond on file will cover both licenses.
If a bail solicitor applicant is to work for two or more bail licensees who are members of a partnership, a separate Action Notice Statement from each employer and an additional filing fee for each is required.
A corporation may not employ a bail solicitor or permittee.
To obtain insurance licensing forms by mail, send an e-mail request to: Producer Licensing Bureau.
To obtain Bail insurance licensing information, you may phone the Producer Licensing Bureau Bail Unit at (916) 492-3035.
All fees mailed to the Department must be addressed to:
Department of Insurance
PO Box 1139
Sacramento, CA 95812-1139
All filing fees submitted are not refundable, whether or not the application is acted upon or the examination taken.
